Pakistan Muslim League President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Thursday said if any party tried to create political and economic crisis in the country through tendering resignations from assemblies, the government has the option to hold by-elections and extend the tenure of the assemblies for one year.
Addressing two meetings here at PML House and Punjab House to welcome Peoples Party and PML-N workers to the PML, Chaudhry Shujaat said if the opposition would tender resignations the government would hold by-elections on the vacant seats.
He said the assemblies would complete their tenure and re-elect President Pervez Musharraf. Shujaat Hussain addressed a meeting at Punjab House to welcome a large number of women who joined the PML under the leadership of Ayesha Javed Malik. He said on the occasion that PML is the first political party to raise voice for human rights at government level.
He pointed out that President Pervez Musharraf has directed that all the women who were not involved in heinous crimes but were behind the bars should be released immediately. Therefore, the PML and particularly its Human Rights Wing has to play due role in it, he added.
Chaudhry Shujaat, welcoming the new entrants to the party, said they were joining to PML as their leaders had quit them and went abroad.
He said the leaders of PPP and PML-N left behind their workers without leaders and they were therefore, joining to PML.
Shujaat said all the new and old workers of the party were united and they would be given due respect and honour without any discrimination.
There will be no discrimination between old and new workers," he said, adding that the party was in the process of electing leadership through consensus.
He assured that the election process would be fair, free and impartial and all the workers are free to participate in these elections.
Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi also welcomed the new entrants to the PML and said they would be given due respect and honour in the party.
He said PML is not a party of any particular family, and added that it belongs to all the workers, new or old. Referring to the alliance of PPP and PML-N, the Punjab Chief Minister said real PML workers could not even think of joining hands with PPP as they would never abandon their ideology.
Secretary General PML Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, speaking on the occasion, said women are an important segment of the party. Welcoming Aysha Javed Malik to PML fold, the Secretary General also announced to appoint her Provincial President of Human Rights Wing of the PML.
Appreciating the role of the Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi who is also President PML Punjab, Mushahid said he has been taking effective measures to make the party stronger at province level.
Aysha Javed Malik and other women leaders who joined the PML, speaking on the occasion, said they had joined the PML as it was the only political party working sincerely for the welfare of people and particularly the women.
Later while addressing a function at PML House to welcome the joining of a large number of PPP and PML-N workers to PML, Chaudhry Shujaat said it was the proof that the PML has been working for the welfare of the people sincerely.
Referring to the ARD meeting held in London, Shujaat said it would further strengthen PML as workers of these two parties are not happy with their decision. A large number of political workers, belonging to different areas of federal capital announced to join PML, he added.
Those who announced their joining the PML included Raja Karamat Hussain, Sardar Muhammad Ramazan, Syed Ali Aqdas Shah, Ali Asghar, Munshi Khan and many others.